


A What Now?

by pity_the_living



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Fluff, Multi, Platonic Relationships, Teenage Drama, it's gonna be a long one, jimin and tae are like james and sirius tbh, jimin gets fiesty, jungkook focus, jungkook is just a small boy trying his best to survive, my first post go easy on me please, other fandoms are side characters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-10-28
Packaged: 2019-06-06 09:50:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15192200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pity_the_living/pseuds/pity_the_living
Summary: It was nice being a muggle. Sweet oblivious muggle life. Bliss.Now Jimin's on fire, Taehyung might have kissed McGonagall, Hoseok's stuck up the Christmas tree and Namjoon just can't seem to 'Levicorpus' him out of it. And if it couldn't get any worse, Yoongi has new bruises and Seokjin burnt the cookies.Also Moaning Mertyle's flirting with Jeongguk. Again.Yay for being a wizard, I guess.





	1. BEFORE WE START

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello  
> so this chapter is just a wee cheat sheet with character info. you can skip it if you'd like but this kinda helps to avoid confusion.  
> have a wee read and i'll see you at the end of the chapter <3

HOUSES 

SLYTHERIN  
Min Yoongi, 3rd Year 

GRYFFINDOR  
Park Jimin, 2nd Year  
Kim Taehyung, 2nd Year 

HUFFLEPUFF  
Kim Seokjin, 4th Year  
Jung Hoseok, 3rd Year 

RAVENCLAW  
Kim Namjoon, 4th Year 

UNSORTED  
Jeon Jeongguk, 1st Year

_____________________________________

PROFILES 

NAME: Kim Seokjin  
AGE: 15  
YEAR: 4th  
HOUSE: Hufflepuff  
BLOOD STATUS: Pureblood  
TALENTS: Potions, Herbology, and a flare for transfiguration  
PATRONUS: Mastiff

NAME: Kim Namjoon  
AGE: 15  
YEAR: 4th  
HOUSE: Ravenclaw  
BLOOD STATUS: Muggleborn  
TALENTS: Charms, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies  
PATRONUS: Hippogriff 

NAME: Min Yoongi  
AGE: 14  
YEAR: 3rd  
HOUSE: Slytherin  
BLOOD STATUS: Pureblood  
TALENTS: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Alchemy  
PATRONUS: Runespoor 

NAME: Jung Hoseok  
AGE: 14  
YEAR: 3rd  
HOUSE: Hufflepuff  
BLOOD STATUS: Half-blood  
TALENTS: Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Transfiguration, Flying  
PATRONUS: Occamy 

NAME: Park Jimin  
AGE: 13  
YEAR: 2nd  
HOUSE: Gryffindor  
BLOOD STATUS: Half-Blood  
TALENTS: Divination, Astronomy, Flying, History of Magic  
PATRONUS: Calico Cat 

NAME: Kim Taehyung  
AGE: 13  
YEAR: 2nd  
HOUSE: Gryffindor  
BLOOD STATUS: Tricky. Born to a Squib father and Muggle mother yet shows full magical abilities. He refers to it as 'Quarter-blood, I guess?'  
TALENTS: Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms  
PATRONUS: Pine Marten

NAME: Jeon Junkook  
AGE: 12  
YEAR: 1st  
HOUSE: Unknown  
BLOOD STATUS: Muggleborn  
TALENTS: Unknown  
PATRONUS: Unknown

_____________________________________

WANDS: 

Yoongi – 13½", Aspen wood, Dragon Heartstring core, brittle flexibility 

Hoseok – 12", Cedar wood, Unicorn Hair core, supple flexibility 

Namjoon – 14½", Beech wood, Dragon Heartstring core, very flexible 

Seokjin – 14", Alder wood, Unicorn Hair core, pliant flexibility 

Jimin – 10¼", Blackthorn wood, Unicorn Hair core, rigid flexibility 

Taehyung – 11¾", Cherry wood, Pheonix Feather core, whippy flexibility 

Jungkook – 12½", Acacia wood, Pheonix Feather core, unbending flexibility 

Bonus points if you look into what the wand types and patronuses mean. I put waaaaaay too much effort into that. Seriously, it's kind of concerning. :)?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You made it this far? Thanks :)  
> So the story will officially begin next chapter in the third person. It'll revolve around JJK, but that just helps the mystery ;)  
> Don't be afraid to comment if you spot mistakes, have a question, or just want to spam. I'm always down for a chat, plus interaction is really nice.  
> See y'all next time,  
> KB  
> <3


	2. ONE - NORMAL

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeongguk gets to platform 9¾ and is immediatley bombarded by a whole new reality. And a kid called Yugyeom, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello  
>  _Italics mean thought in this case_  
>  So this is the beginning of an era. I'm really excited to do this, i've actually planned out plotpoints and everything. look at me being prepared. of course i've added in multifandoms, the others mentioned in this chapter are from Got7 and B.A.P. I'll put up another character cheat sheet if you need it, just say in the comments.  
> Have a wee read and i'll see you at the end of the chapter <3

Jeongguk almost slapped himself.

There was steam drifting weightlessly to the top of the cavernous hall from the crimson red steam train that hummed on the rails. Excitement and apprehension seemed to diffuse invisibly in the air, creating a buzz of electricity around everything. People in outrageous clothes bustled around, chatting to their friends, showing off new spells. 

_Spells. Right, they existed. Those were a thing that Jeongguk would be learning to do. Spells. Magic. Jeongguk was a wizard. Right._

Two months ago, if you had said that he would be standing on platform 9¾ he would have told you that you were insane. His trunk was packed with new robes and books, a ridiculous pointed hat, and a wand. _A wand. For magic. Because Jeongguk could do that. Right._  
Yet, there he was. He scanned his surroundings, his eyes landing on the crimson steam engine on the rails. He almost started to laugh in hysteria, as he shook his head in disbelief.  
_Well, shit._

Jeongguk turned to face his parents who were equally as bewildered by the platform. His mother studied the various wizards rushing about in a routine, as if this was just another day in the life for them. His father was still touching the wall they had just ran through, incredulous as to how in the hell that even worked. Jeongguk was sure he would hit it straight on. Maybe break his skull. Maybe they had hit it and this was just a hallucination caused by internal hemorrhaging, as he slowly bled from his skull while the people phoned an ambulance for the boy that just ran into a wall at full pelt at Kings Cross station. But then he reached into his jacket pocket and his hand landed on the crinckled parchment of the letter Professor McGonagall had given to him. It was frayed at the edges, only two months old but read like it'd been a lifetime. Bits of the ink were splotched with watermarks, tear stained from the times of extreme happiness to crippling anxiety. It was real. He knew it. After all, it had always been real.  
His parents said he was blessed the first time he ever made his teddy bear dance. They had always known their son wasn’t ordinary. He was extraordinary. Strange, but then again, who wasn't? But then Jeongguk surveyed the other wizards. Some appearing out of thin air, one changing his hair colour to a little girls' amusement. He realised; this was his new normality. 

Jeonggukk pinched the skin on his hand. He noticed a weight on his shoulder, his mother's hand. She smiled in disbelief at him, telling him silently that as strange as their new situation was, none of them were dreaming. His mother turned back to his father, giving Jeongguk a minute to process it all. The engine whistling, the giggle of the amused little girl. The laughing and the reunions of friends, and the sounds of brotherly teasing growing ever closer. The electric air, nipping like static at Jeongguk's fingertips, the primal thrum of the engine. The brotherly teasing getting a bit too close.  
He felt his shoulder suddenly being jarred as he stumbled forward. _Yep, too close._  
A body flew past him and fumbled onto the ground, laughing. He looked at the boy giggling on the floor and followed his gaze to a slightly older boy with striking platinum hair. 

"Bam!" The boy on the floor exclaimed, still grinning. "I could've dropped Butch!" 

Jeongguk looked to see the boy cradling something small and fluffy in his hands protectively. Jeongguk extended a hand to help the boy up, which he accepted gratefully.

"Sorry," the boy smiled sheepishly, his hand going to his hair anxiously. The one he'd called 'Bam' went to stand beside the boy-who-fell. 

"Sorry about Yugyeom," he said, gesturing to his friend. "Kid doesn't know how to stand on two feet." That earned Bam an annoyed kick in the leg from Yugyeom, followed by a mumbled _"wouldn't have fell if you didn't bloody push me, twat"_

Jeongguk opened his mouth to respond before finally getting a good look at what Yugyeom had been holding when he fell. It was maybe the size of a tennis ball, and fluffier than the pompom attached to his mother's keys, but with one stark difference. Not only was it hot pink, it had real blinking eyes. _Eyes, because why not. Eyes. Lovely._

"Is that . . . " Jeongguk stuttered in disbelief, staring at the sentient pink ball of fluff in Yugyeom's hands. "Is that normal? Am I meant to have one of those?" 

"Oh, Butch?" Yugyeom asked, holding out the animal _(?)_ for Jeongguk to pet. He nervously gave it a delicate stroke. _The thing could bite his hand off, and he didn't want to be known as the kid who was horribly disfigured by a breathing, blinking pompom no thank you._ It shimmied slightly in content. _Probably not deadly. Maybe._  
"She's my Pygmy Puff. And she likes you, too." He added when the creature tried to waddle from Yugyeom's hands to Jeongguk. 

_Great, Wizards own sentient keychains. Noted._

The silver haired boy looked Jeongguk over. His shoulders were still tense, and he nervously released a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Bam gave him an easy smile, which only reassured him enough to make his shoulders drop. _It was that damn Pygmy Puff. Terrifying._

"You're new to this, aren't you." Bam eventually asked. Jeongguk nodded shyly, the other two were obviously from a wizarding family. "You Muggleborn?" 

"Am I a what now?" Jeongguk questioned a bit too fast to be casual. _Damn Pygmy Puff making Jeongguk nervous. With its deadly eyes, and its waddling abilities. It's Butch's fault. She made him anxious. Damn Butch._

"You come from a non-magic family," Chimed in Yugyeom. Jeongguk's face fell like a lead balloon. He started having doubts about his abilities. How many Muggleborn people were there? Was that fine, that he was a Muggleborn? Were there Wizarding Primary Schools that he didnt know about? Was he leauges behind everone else, oh Gods, he was, wasn't he. He almost fried his brain with the amount of overthinking until Yugyeom's voice tore him away from his endless thoughts.  
"Don't worry though. Blood status really doesn't mean anything. Or at least, not anymore, those were dark times but no one really cares nowadays. Well, some people still care but-" Yugyeom was rambling, words just spilling from his mouth. 

"Yugyeom is proof that being a Pureblood doesn't make you any better of a wizard." Bam interrupted, laughing, patting the now sheepish Yugyeom on the back, who murmured a quiet sorry to no one in particular. "The name's Kunpimook, but for your own sake just call me BamBam. Less of a mouthful." 

"Jeongguk," He introduced himself, shaking BamBam's hand. _Sweaty palms_ blared in Jeongguk's head as he prayed Bam wouldn't notice.  
"It's good to meet you guys."  
He meant it. 

"Hey, if you don’t have any wizard friends, I'm a first year too. You could sit with me and Bam if you want." Proposed Yugyeom hopefully. His eyes widened with expectation, glittering slightly with new ideas. 

"I'm bailing, sorry." Denied Bam, raising his hands as if to say 'please don't hurt me'. After receiving a disappointed 'what' from Yugyeom he explained his reasoning.  
"Me and Youngjae are gonna grab Jimin and Tae, then head over to Junhong. He found us a good booth this year, and we can only just squeeze in five." Yugyeom's face fell and his brows furrowed in worry. Maybe he overthought stuff like Jeongguk. Bonding over anxiety, that was new.

"I'll still sit with you," Jeongguk reassured. "We'll figure it out together. And if we manage to blow something up, we can blame it on BamBam." 

Yugyeom's face lit up with the light of a thousand suns. That was the answer he'd been hoping for. He flashed BamBam a mischievous grin, before focusing on something over Jeongguk's shoulder. 

"Speak of the devil," Yugyeom sighed like he was bracing himself for impact. Before Jeongguk even had time to blink, BamBam had been carried away by two boys, hollering as they lifted him over their heads. He only had time to see a shock of pastel pink hair lift Bam, while an unruly blur of brown helped to whisk him away, a blue bandana trailing behind. Just when their joyful screams had faded into the distance, a slightly tired boy jogged past, smiling defeatedly at Yugyeom. He waved weakly as he sighed, slowly catching up with the other boys.

"That's Youngjae," He explained. "He's the voice of reason. The other two, Jimin and Taehyung. They have a reputation for being our generation's Weasley Twins." 

Whoever the Weasley twins are, they must have been a riot. He'd be sure to ask Professor McGonagall about them next time he saw her. Maybe chat over some tea and kimchi, if she can get the hang of chopsticks this time. The train gave a warning whistle, signalling for everyone to board. Jeongguk glanced at Yugyeom, their expressions an amalgamation of dread, pure unadulterated joy, melancholy, and the buzz of static electricity, pulsating in their veins.

"I'll meet you on the train!" Yugyeom smiled as they both split to walk to their respective families. The buzz got louder with every step towards his new reality. Jeongguk figured that this boy was going to be his anchor in this new world. Maybe he'd return the favour. 

And honestly, having Yugyeom made the whole thing just a bit less scary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you made it this far? thanks :)  
> so i'm writing Jungkook's name as Jeongguk, which im pretty sure is the correct romanisation of his real name. plus i like it better. dont worry, you'll meet the seven soon. three of them have already been mentioned, but one's unnamed. the changing hair colour's a clue (do i smell a metamorphmagus? yes. yes you do)
> 
> Don't be afraid to comment if you spot mistakes, have a question, or just want to spam. I'm always down for a chat, plus interaction is really nice.  
> See y'all next time,  
> KB <3  
> <3


	3. TWO - MUDBLOOD

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeongguk meets the guys from earlier, but as the saying goes, the show must go wrong. The train pulls of of the station, and Jeongguk gets a glimpse into the darker facets of the Wizarding World.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello  
> ANYTHING FROM THE TROLLEY DEARS  
> Strap in kids, we're off to Hogwarts. This chapter features a non-fandom character because i couldn't bring myself to make anyone mean. Their pronouns are they/them, in case you get confused.  
> Have a wee read and I'll see you at the end of the chapter <3

"We love you Honey!" 

"If you need anything, just call! Or write. Wait, do wizards use holograms?" 

As the train barrelled along the tracks, his parents called encouraging goodbyes to their anxious son. Quickly, Jeongguk began his search for Yugyeom. He desperately needed to find him. Yugyeom was his only tether to normality at this point. I mean, they had already established that they were both sweaty, nervous messes, but they'd sweat together and that's what matters, right? 

He peeked his head in every booth as he passed. In one, he found the boy with the colour changing hair from before (it was mint now) struggling to look annoyed as another boy with deep orange hair leaned into him, smiling and laughing. The mint boy let the corners of his lips tug up into a fond smile when the other boy looked away, and his shoulders visibly relaxed. Their booth seemed to be their own little universe. 

In another he found two boys, a few years older than him. One read a book with the title "The Wind's Twelve Quarters and the Compass Rose" while the other rest his head on his friend's(?) shoulder, fast asleep. They too seemed to be peacefully serene in their own slice of paradise.   
Jeongguk however, was shitting himself. Where in the ever loving fuck was Yugyeom? 

He'd been on the engine for five minutes. He was worrying. The train had pulled out of the station two minutes ago, yet Jeongguk still hadn't found Yugyeom. He was growing more nervous with each painstaking second that passed. His heartbeat was an anvil cracking his ribcage with every beat, his stomach seemed to be encroaching into the realms of 'never-ending-abyss'.   
He wasn't looking ahead of him, his head oscilating between the sides of the train as he tried to remain as calm as was humanly possible. He was managing not to spontaneously combust. Then collided face first into someone's chest.   
Fuck. 

He was going to spontaneously combust. 

Jeongguk began to apologise furiously. "I am so, so sorry. I swear I didn’t mean to bump into you I just-" 

Strangely enough, he was interrupted by his victims' laughter. Inside his head something blared 'FUCK FUCK FUCK' repeatedly, accompanied by red flashing lights this time. The person's voice was deep, like Jeongguk's had yet to be. It was warm and comforting laughter, not the callus type he had grown accustomed to. _Like an audible hug. That’s weird. Don’t say that out loud._

"Hey," the owner of the voice put their hand on Jeongguk's shoulder. More 'FUCK's blared internally. 

He finally looked up at the person he had bumped in to. He almost stepped back he was that surprised. He was certain he was going to be punched in the face. _He'd be lying on the floor, haemorrhaging as someone called the magical ambulance and he'd be forever known as the idiot that bumped into some dude and was horribly disfigured for the rest of his pitiful life but_ – the punch never came. 

Instead, when he tore his eyes from the ground, it was the blur of brown hair and blue bandanna from before in front of him, smiling. Naturally, this boy was inherently attractive. _Perfect. Great. Absolutely splendid._

In fact, the boy seemed to be so regal that it was actually disarming. Jeongguk could actually feel himself becoming panicked, but also wanting to stay. Like a weeping angel: It's probably gonna hurt you, but you can't exactly look away. 

The boy who had helped to carry BamBam off earlier smiled at him genuinely. 

"It's okay, you don't have to look so scared." He told Jeongguk. 

Jeongguk realised his mouth was gaping open and shut it so fast his teeth audibly clicked together. _GREAT GOING, GGUK._

"You okay?" The boy with the bandana asked. 

Finally, Jeongguk managed to say something other than sorry. "Yeah, um, I'm actually looking for a friend. I, um, think you might know him? His name's Yugyeom." He fidgeted nervously, still terrified, but beginning to warm up to the guy. 

"Oh! You're looking for Bam's little brother!" The kind boy exclaimed. He waved to somewhere a bit further down the carriage. "He's just over here." 

"Thank you so much," Jeongguk breathed, relieved. He felt his shoulders relax as he followed the older boy down the train. _Crisis averted. Still overreacted, but we're getting there. Breathe._

"You're a first year, right?" The boy called over his shoulder. He tilted his head enough to show a cute boxy smile. 

"Is it that obvious?" Jeongguk asked with a nervous laugh. 

"Nah, nah. It's just that you remind me of myself in first year. I actually bumped into Yoongi when I was looking for Jimin. I shat myself, the boy is terrifying." The bandana boy laughed as he led Jeongguk down the aisles. "Don't tell him I said that, though." 

Finally, after seven minutes of torturous searching, Jeongguk spotted Yugyeom looking bored as he sat by himself in a booth. Immediately, his spirits lifted.   
_Finally, finally, finally._

The glass door was closed, so he wasn’t going to bother calling to him. The boy who led him there must have seen Yugyeom too, as he began to turn to Jeongguk. He opened his mouth to speak a goodbye, but it wasn’t his voice that came out. 

"Well, would you look at that! The Mudblood's got himself a little filthy friend!" 

They kind boy who had led Jeongguk to Yugyeom darkened. Immediately his jaw clenched, his muscles stiffened, and a vein could be seen on his forehead. The guy radiated pure murder at the tip of a hat. 

"Avery," the once happy boy said without turning to face the voice. "I don't want to have to do what I did in first year. Back off before you get hurt." 

When before his voice was warm, the deep voice was now as sharp as the shards of ice that would break from glaciers. The boy's brown eyes were no longer welcoming but as dark as the rocks ships crashed upon in deadly storms. The sharp eyes wouldn't meet Jeongguk's. Whatever the guy was capable of, he wasn't anxious to find out. 

"Now we both know you wouldn't try that stunt again, Taehyung. McGonagall didn't like what you did, but still she was the only reason you weren't expelled." Avery sneered. 

They had pitch black hair, shaved in an undercut which they swept back effortlessly. Their cockiness clashed with Taehyung's anger, creating metaphorical sparks that Jeongguk could feel hitting his spine.   
They raised their head in condescension as they stared leeringly at Jeongguk. He was the next target. Noticing Jeongguk's terrified expression, Taehyung's fists clenched in pure, white hot rage. 

Taehyung turned to Avery and with two strides, he was mere inches away from them. 

"Want to find out if I'd do it again?" Taehyung threatened, hands shaking dangerously by his sides. 

"Try me." Avery jested, closing the distance between the two by pressing their forehead to Taehyung's.   
Jeongguk realised that all conversations had stopped.   
The train had grown deafeningly silent, the air thick with bloodlust. Yugyeom was looking at the scene as wide eyed and afraid as Jeongguk. He could feel the train's heartbeat, a primal drumming in his bones. 

"Avery, back off." Commanded a voice from behind Jeongguk. As soon as the words reached them, Avery stumbled back slightly as if someone had landed a soft punch to their chest. Jeongguk wheeled around to see the blur of pink from earlier, standing alone in the aisle. 

"Tae," The boy with pink hair seemed to ask. 

Again, as if his words had weight over Taehyung, he stepped away from Avery reluctantly. Avery opened their mouth to throw another insult when they locked eyes with the boy with the commanding voice. They thought better and closed their mouth, settling on a sigh while they shook their head, smiling maliciously. They happily sauntered away from the scene, seemingly unbothered. 

Taehyung, on the other hand was a picture of human rage. His hands had not stopped shaking. His eyes were cold, almost glazed over like he wasn't fully there. Hurriedly yet calmly, the boy with pink hair strode over to Taehyung, taking his shaking hands in his own. 

"Look at me," the boy asked. Still, Taehyung bore into the spot where Avery had stood, venom in every fiber of his being. "Hey. I said look at me." 

Taehyung tore his gaze away from the spot and looked to his hands. His fists relaxed and he stretched open his palms, looking at what had been done to him. Maybe two sentences? That was it. Avery had complete control, they knew how to manipulate him. He observed his condition before turning to the other boy. 

"Jimin I . . . I'm sorry." He said, his voice so close to a whisper that if anyone had even dared to breathe, it would have been drowned out. Tears began to well in Taehyung's eyes, his angered disposition quickly breaking. "I just, I couldn’t . . . I don’t want to do it again Jimin. I don’t want to be a monster." 

Jimin-with-the-pink-hair threw a warning glance around the carriage, daring people to listen any further. Reluctantly, maybe slightly apprehensively, the train hummed with the indiscernible static of chatter. 

Taehyung was on the verge of sobbing. His beautiful features were now fighting back waves of emotions. His brows were upturned and his eyes glinted like diamonds in coal as the tears threatened to spill. 

Silently, Jimin lifted his arms and wrapped them around Taehyung as he struggled to choke back a sob. Jeongguk could hear Jimin softly saying comforts to Taehyung, but they were indiscernible to him. Feeling like he was intruding, Jeongguk said a quick thanks to Taehyung and moved swiftly to Yugyeom. 

He was welcomed by the familiar face of his new friend who had previously sat alone. Immediately Yugyeom grinned, filling the tense air with a new, lighter feeling. His grin was infectious, and Jeongguk caught the virus. 

"I almost thought you'd forgotten about me." Yugyeom sighed in relief. 

"Never." Assured Jeongguk, as he took Yugyeom in a much-needed hug. They hadn't been on the train for fifteen minutes, yet he had experienced enough drama for at least a year. Maybe two. 

"Buckle up," Yugyeom said to Jeongguk, still grinning. "It’s a long ass ride to Hogwarts." 

———————— 

Jeongguk and Yugyeom sat in a contented silence as they chewed on the sweets the Trolley Witch had provided. Yugyeom had tried to convince him that she had talons, but Jeongguk wouldn't believe him. As he watched the light sky being enveloped in a blanket of warm darkness, Jeongguk replayed the events of the early morning in his head. For the whole ride Jeongguk had been trying to catch a glimpse of Taehyung or Jimin. He wanted to make sure they were okay, to reassure them, to do something. Yet, no flashes of blue or pink had raced past their booth. 

Out of all the commotion, there was one word which made him uneasy. 

_**Mudblood.**_

He couldn't shake the feeling that that word held power. Why else would Taehyung react the way he did? Yugyeom said he didn’t know the specifics of what went down between him and Avery in first year, but whatever it was it had made Taehyung's blood boil. The word hung in his mind, dragging itself to the tip of Jeongguk's tongue. 

He broke the happy silence with what he knew was a dangerous question. 

"Yugyeom," he said to get his friend's attention. "What's . . . What's a Mudblood." 

Yugyeom's easy smile dropped immediately. It was a controversial topic, maybe too much for them. He'd ruined the mood, he knew it. He was on the verge of apologising and dropping the subject when Yugyeom cleared his throat. He was uncomfortable, that was obvious. Still, Yugyeom quickly regained composure and carefully chose what he would say next. Words held power. 

"It means 'dirty blood'. It's used to ridicule people that . . ." He hesitated. He couldn't bring himself to look at Jeongguk. "People that are Muggleborn." 

"Oh." Jeongguk said as he felt his heart turn to lead, dropping to the pit of his stomach and shaking his insides. He felt as if the echo was shaking his whole body, making him sick with each wave. A sense of cold crawled up his spine. 

"It shouldn't be used, Kookie." Yugyeom used his new nickname to lighten the blow. "It's because some Purebloods don’t like the idea of Muggle born wizards entering the magic world. Like they're not wizards, or that they don’t deserve it. It's bullshit. I mean, look at Hermione Granger. Or Dean Thomas. Or the Creevey brothers, or Lilly goddamn Potter! All Muggleborn, all amazing wizards worth more than most of us Purebloods." 

"McGonagall mentioned Hermione." Jeongguk said softly, his heart lighter at Yugyeom's positive attitude towards his blood status. At least his friend accepted him. 

"So, I'm a Mudblood." Jeongguk stated. There was no question. 

"Jeongguk, it’s a derogatory word descended from racial bias, created by our ancestors who rebelled against concepts they couldn’t understand." 

"A what now?" Jeongguk asked, bewildered by the sudden change in intellect. No offence, but that was unexpected from the boy who couldn't remember what colour the Pink Panther was. 

"Namjoon used that in one of his papers." Yugyeom smiled sheepishly. "It means that because our ancestors didn’t understand that magic takes many forms, they hated it. It's like racism, and Mudblood is the N-word. Also something Namjoon said." 

That made a lot more sense to Jeongguk. He hadn't been spared from racism in his short lifetime. He'd been tauntingly asked if he eats dogs, or if he had a family katana, or if he knew karate _(it was taekwondo, actually.)._ Still, he didn’t want to be held subject to yet more discrimination for something out of his control. Not anymore. 

"Please don't tell anyone about my blood status." Jeongguk pleaded. 

"Kookie, it really doesn't matter. Namjoon's muggleborn and he's an intellectual prodigy! Tae's one of the most promising kids to walk in to Hogwarts, and he's like, a quarter-blood!" Yugyeom tried. 

Yet the apprehension building in Jeongguk's stomach was too much. The waves of nausea were threatening to capsize him, he was doing his best to stay afloat. 

"Gyeomie please." Jeongguk begged. "Just until I'm sorted and settled in. Please." 

Yugyeom thought for a minute, questioning the morality of Jeongguk's request. 

"I swear." Yugyeom said, putting his hand up for Jeongguk to take. 

"Thank you." Jeongguk sighed as he took Yugyeom's hand. They started the extremely extra handshake they had made when bored only two hours ago. 

Suddenly, the door to their compartment was thrown open by a grinning BamBam. 

"Get your robes on, Freshers!" He beamed. "We're almost home." 

Jeongguk and Yugyeom exchanged glances with smiles of apprehension. Their new home was almost on the horizon, and they were ready to take whatever Hogwarts threw at them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you made it this far? thanks :)  
> SO  
> We have officially been introduced to all if the seven, but five are still mysteriously unnamed. bonus points if you can guess who's who.  
> NEXT UP IS THE SORTING. WHATS GONNA HAPPEN? HA HA I ACTUALLY MADE THAT A PLOTPOINT SUCKERS.  
> Also, if you haven't guessed, the gen-neutral character was Avery, so watch out for them. They're gonna mean something in this story, every character plays an important role.
> 
> Don't be afraid to comment if you spot mistakes, have a question, or just want to spam. I'm always down for a chat, plus interaction is really nice.  
> See y'all next time,  
> KB   
> <3


	4. THREE - ENTRANCE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our boys make a new friend or two, and Auntie Min makes an appearance.  
> Then, it's time.  
> The Sorting will commence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello  
> AHAHAHHAH I FINALLY DID IT I FINALLY UPDATED ARE YOU PROUD???  
> THIS ONE'S FOR YOU TAETER_TOT I LOVE YOU  
> Also i mention a chakram in this chapter, it's a weapon from India thats really fucking metal and can sever limbs when you throw it. Can you tell i was researching the culture i could have been raised in lollllll :')  
> https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=chakram&rlz=1C1AVNE_enGB759GB759&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiy0rCcy-jcAhWLXsAKHbnwDCYQ_AUICigB&biw=1366&bih=662#imgrc=xZvn917krRXQnM:  
> the one ive linked is from xena goddamn warrior princes but you get the jist  
> BUT ANYWAYS  
> READ THIS SON OF A BITCH AND I'LL SEE YOU BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER.  
> <3

"First years, this way!" 

The sky had turned velvety black by the time the Hogwarts Express rolled into Hogsmeade Station. 

The sky was now dotted with shards of sparkling glass, sprinkled like the flick of a divine paintbrush. Jeongguk watched as the other first years shifted around him. Some nervous, others enthralled. They migrated from the train and onto the platform, the electric buzz growing with every step. 

While Jeongguk was apprehensive, one look from Yugyeom brought back the excitement in spades. That boy really was becoming his best friend. 

"First years!" An immense man called again. His eyes gleamed like obsidian in the lamplight, and under his wiry beard, the giant smiled at Jeongguk. "This way to the boats!" 

To say the man was tall was an understatement. He was gargantuan. Jeongguk wouldn’t have been surprised if the guy was an actual giant. However, despite his intimidatingly large stature, the smile that persisted under his beard radiated warmth. The man was a protector, he could sense it. The swarm of first years seemed to catch on to the defensive nature of the giant and moved quickly behind the man. 

Soon, they had reached the dock. Floating side by side were rows of boats, each holding another lamp. It reminded Jeongguk of Norse Mythology. When a Viking died, they would be set off on a burning boat with their possessions to Valhalla, the land of the Honourable Dead. He imagined that the boats, with their ethereal qualities, were what Vikings would find the shores of Valhalla in. 

The light from the warm lamps cast dancing shadows onto the water, illuminating the lake like it were the entrance to another reality. The lamps themselves glowed strongly as if filled with fires, contently burning a path to Hogwarts, their Valhalla. 

"Right, four people to a boat please." The man called again. He surveyed his first years, and his attention seemed to be drawn to a lone student. "Lad, here, you can come in our boat." 

Jeongguk turned to see who the man was addressing. It was another boy, who looked just as alone and frightened as Jeongguk had on Platform 9¾. Jeongguk watched as the boy nervously shuffled his way towards the Gatekeeper. The poor thing was terrified, and he was trying his best to hide it. Jeongguk knew what anxiety looked like too well for the boy to hide it from him. He knew the way that the boy's eyes would dart around like there was something to go wrong around every corner. He saw the tension in his jaw, the way his shoulders were held as if he was on edge. The short breaths, the drawn in stance. He knew them first-hand. 

He was busy surveying the boy, relating to him. He was trying to send him a nonverbal message, trying to catch his eye to tell him that he wasn't alone. He was so caught up, he only noticed his predicament when he felt a soft bump to his arm. Yugyeom nudged him gently and Jeongguk whirled around. 

All of the boats were full. 

_Fuuuuuuuuuuc-_

"You two, you can join us as well!" Called the man to the two boys. Nervously, but relieved, the pair walked with hurried steps towards the boy and the man that dwarfed him. 

"In ya get!" The man encouraged. Jeongguk took a hasty step into the boat. It rocked under him, making his stomach lurch in time with the boat. Next Yugyeom took his place beside Jeongguk, shifting nervously when the boat creaked slightly beneath him. The unknown boy went next, stumbling anxiously over himself as he made his way to the back. When the giant man clambered in, Jeongguk swore the boat would capsize. Thankfully, they stayed afloat. 

"Right boys!" The man exclaimed, clapping his hands as he addressed the first-year trio. "Rubeus Hagrid, Hogwarts Gatekeeper. An' you are?" 

"Oh, uh," Yugyeom coughed, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Kim Yugyeom, uh, Sir." 

"Oh, I see! BamBam's brother. I tell you, if you only get into half the amount of trouble he does, it'll be a blessin'." Hagrid laughed. Yugyeom smiled sheepishly and ruffled his hair anxiously. His friend nudged Jeongguk. 

"Uh, I'm Jeongguk. Jeon Jeongguk." He said, stumbling slightly over his words. "It's nice to meet you, Sir." 

Hagrid looked at Jeongguk in thought. 

"Hmm," the giant pondered. "Not a familiar face, are you Jeongguk? Ah, you'll soon fit in well enough!" Hagrid beamed with his beetle black eyes as he patted Jeongguk on the back, knocking the wind out of the boy's chest (lovingly). 

"I'm Jungyoon," Said a wavering voice from the back. "But, could you call me Jaehyun, if you don’t mind please Sir thank you." The boy raced to finish his sentence. 

The last boy was unnaturally still, except for his rapidly bouncing leg. Jeongguk did the same thing when he was internally panicking. The gatekeeper said something and laughed, but Jeongguk didn’t hear. Instead, he mouthed a small yet potent ‘you okay?’ to Jaehyun, trying his very least to show an ounce of solidarity. 

Immediately the bouncing leg stopped. He’d frozen. Jeongguk hastily added a weak smile to show that he was also, to put it simply, freaking the fuck out. Slowly, Jaehyun managed to nod, as if testing to see whether the waters were infested with ravenous beasts that would tear him apart. To his surprise, he found not the dangerous rapids he expected to whisk him away, but a spring of fresh, clean liquid. A proverbial fountain of youth fitting their age and circumstance. 

Jaehyung released the breath he’d been struggling to hold. 

“Yeah,” he sighed, the same tired smile tugging gently at his lips. “I’ll make it. Thanks, by the way. It, uh . . . it means a lot.” 

Jeongguk's weak smile grew wider, happy to have accomplished something. To ease pain, to make a friend. 

“Don’t mention it,” He assured Jaehyun. 

Yugyeom injected a new colour of life into their semi-nervous conversation, asking if Jaehyung was ‘trying to steal his man.’ Within minutes, they were all laughing, Hagrid’s hearty bellow joining in. 

The gatekeeper was spinning a tale of the dragon he had managed to smuggle out of the castle, or his old friend Aragog who still brought a tear to his eye. The boys sat in amazement listening to the man, hanging on his every word. It all seemed like a story to Jeongguk, a story he was experiencing first hand. A few times the boat had rocked dangerously close to the water’s edge, the excitement and the lake both threatening to capsize them. Yet it seemed that the group had built something to keep them afloat, a metaphorical lifeboat keeping them above the surface so long as everyone was paddling. 

“An’ McGonagall would ‘ave me dead if she found out that I've got Charlie Weasley comin’ to help me out. He's a good lad, nothin’ wrong with him. It’s his dragons Minerva’d ‘ave a problem with!” The giant laughed, sending tremors through the boat. 

Suddenly he gasped, eyes wide. 

_Oh god, oh gOd. Oh gOD._

“I shouldn’t ‘ave said that. I really shouldn’t ‘ave said that.” he scolded himself. “You boys didn’t ‘ear me say that.” 

The boys put a metaphorical button on it. 

“Didn’t hear you say what?” Asked Yugyeom. 

“Didn’t hear me talk about the dra-” Hagrid stopped himself. “Smart lad, all of ye.” He finished with a knowing wink, and a promise to invite them down to his hut for some tea and biscuits. 

\---------------------------- 

Jeongguk knew that Hogwarts was a castle. What he didn’t expect, however, for that castle to dwarf every building he had ever seen tenfold. 

Swathed in a shroud of woodlands, it stood proudly atop the rocky terrain. In the dark night, the windows shone with warm light, like the stars themselves had fallen to welcome the new arrivals. Intricately woven brickwork lined each turret and every wall, the highest points disappearing into the clouds, touching the heavens. 

The light cast by the castle windows leapt across the water’s surface, illuminating the ever-changing floor it danced on as if the lake were made from liquid gold. Absent-mindedly, Jeonggkuk trailed a hand through the glowing waters and watched as the waves he created were enveloped once again by the lake. 

Their boat was the first to dock. 

Jeongguk could hear his heart, like a hammer in his chest, thundering against the anvil of his ribcage. A steady rhythm, picking up speed, the drumming in his ears intensifying. 

He glanced at the other boys in the boat to find their jaws hanging open at the unfathomable vastness of the wizarding grounds. he caught Yugyeom’s eye and threw a semi-anxious, semi-exhilarated look, which his friend caught and threw right back to him. 

This was it. 

They began to walk up the path to the school. Every step that crashed onto the paving was like a unified heartbeat, the students a hivemind, yet each facet so strangely different. 

The thump thump thump of his heart was in immense. He could feel it in his hands, hear the blood rushing past his ears. His veins were filled with golden ichor, the blood of immortals, pulsing and pushing his feet forward. 0nly a few more steps to the castle. 

From ahead, light spilled from a set of opening doors and pooled ahead of them. Into the glowing river of light stepped a familiar figure who made Jeongguk step just a bit faster, and stand just a tad straighter. 

The figure was regal to say the least. She held herself with dignity and high regard, she was a weathered veteran who took no shit. 

Jeongguk was now in talking distance, and he managed to catch her eye. 

“Hello, Master Jeon.” She greeted. 

She, was Minerva McGonagall. 

“Auntie Min!” Jeongguk quietly exclaimed. 

“Headmistress McGonagall at school, dear.” She reminded him with the tap of her nose and a smile. 

“Oh! Sorry,” He smiled sheepishly, before beckoning over his friends. They somewhat cautiously approached the two. It must have been quite a picture, the warrior woman McGonagall talking to the scrawny boy Jeon. 

“This is Yugyeom, and this is Jaehyun!” he introduced his friends. “Guys, this is-” 

“Professor McGonagall!” Jaehyun gasped. “She’s a legend! Did you know the Ministry hit her with four stunning spells to the chest all at once? That’s enough to knock out a small dragon!” 

McGonagall laughed softly at the exclamation of her newest fan, telling him it was all in a day’s work defending her school. This only spurred him on, shamelessly listing her many achievements, and using the word ‘badass’ at least nine times. 

She led the group of first years into the building. As Jaehyun continued to marvel in the presence of the Professor, Jeongguk craned his neck to take in the towering roof of the castle. Pillars stretched like branches into the brickwork of the ceiling, and every so often, Jeongguk would notice painting on the wall. They looked like they were missing something. People? They were all scenes devoid of human life. Strange for them to be that way, as if the people in the painting had something better to do and left. Now he was getting carried away, they’re called still life paintings for a reason. 

They halted in front of a large wooden door, the hum of conversation muffled into nonsensical sounds. 

_Thump thump thump_

McGonagall explained that she would all them by name. They were to sit on the chair and have the Sorting Hat placed upon their heads. Whichever house it called would be their home and family for the next seven years. 

A fucking hat decided Jeongguk’s future. 

_Makes sense._

He felt something hit against his arm blindly and tore his gaze from the towering doors to search for the cause. He found Yugyeom’s hand, open and shaking slightly, looking for his own. 

Jeongguk looked over his friend. His lips were slightly parted, probably still in awe. His shoulders were tense, his hair a tousled mess, and his eyes fixed on the doors. The doors which their futures lay behind. The doors which led the way to a new river of possibilities, each one diverging from the rest, branching into infinity. Those doors. Those damn doors. They had his friend terrified. 

He took Yugyeom’s hand. 

Yugyeom stopped shaking the moment he was reminded that he wasn’t alone. Jeongguk gave his hand a gentle squeeze, and hesitantly, Yugyeom squeezed back. 

The doors opened. 

_Thump thump thump_

They were hit by a looming wave of silence. Eerie, cold, alien. They took a step, pioneers into the great hall. Suddenly they were enveloped by a tsunami of cheers, whoops, clapping and hollers. Students stood, some jumped, a certain few danced on the tables. 

Jeongguk barely heard them, though. All he heard was the rhythmic _thump thump thump_ of his heart, a drum, an engine driving his steps. All he saw was a blur, colours, lights, dancing in and out of his vision. 

All he felt was Yugyeom’s hand, still in his, keeping him grounded as much as he was to Yugyeom. 

They reached the top of the hall and stopped. 

McGonagall stepped into the middle of the hall and immediately all conversation ceased. She held an unquestionable power and authority. There was no debate. 

One did not fuck with Minerva McGonagall and live. 

Was she saying a speech? Jeongguk only heard a dull buzz, but above it all, above the rush of blood passing his ears, was the _thump thump thump_ of his heart. 

Was the hat singing? He couldn’t tell. He could only see the anthropomorphic face of the fabric, as if it were speaking. 

The drum, _thump thump thump_. 

His heart nearly stopped when she called the first name. 

“Abdallah, Prisha.” 

The person called Prisha shakily stepped up to the stool. McGonagall held the hat like a crown, but Prisha saw it as a chakram. If she touched it, it would bite back. Only safe from the inside, a safe space between the hat and the head, the mind. 

The hat barely touched Prisha’s head. 

“RAVENCLAW!” It bellowed. 

The Ravenclaw table roared, welcoming it’s newest family member. 

And they whittled them down. 

_Thump thump thump._

They were at G now. 

_Thump thump thump._

They were at I. 

_Thump thump thump thump thum-_

“Jeon, Jeongguk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You made it this far? Thanks :)  
> FINALLLLLYYYYYYYY  
> I think I might start putting chapter previews in the end notes? Would you want that??? just so you guys know that im not planning on going MIA again lol  
> Taeter_Tot love, this one's for you i love you and i stan you  
> HERES A PREVIEW
> 
> "Jeon, Jeongguk.” 
> 
> Yugyeom squeezed Jeongguk’s hand as if he were letting go of a lifeboat in a raging black ocean of pure fear. Each time it lapped and bit at his skin, terror crystallised and crawled up to his lungs. The waters threatened to drown him. 
> 
> He sat on the stool, his leg bouncing at a hundred miles per minute. 
> 
> He felt a gentle squeeze on his shoulder from Minerva, his Auntie Min who’d taken him on his first trip to Diagon Alley. She made his leg bounce a little slower. 
> 
> The hat was placed on his head and he held his breath. 
> 
> He shit himself when he heard it speak directly into his mind. 
> 
> ‘Well then,’ it said, a slight rasp hinting at its age, a former relic from times gone by. ‘you are something else.’ 
> 
> ‘so much potential, you tick every box. The heart of a Gryffindor, the nature of Hufflepuff. Somewhere in there, you have a Ravenclaw’s skill, but you do have an ambition that strikingly resembles a Slytherin.’ 
> 
> ‘A Muggleborn Slytherin, eh?’ It laughed. 
> 
> There it was already. Blood status. Jeongguk froze. 
> 
> ‘Just let me belong,’ he pleaded. He wasn’t aware that the hat would listen. 
> 
> ‘You belong at Hogwarts, my boy. But, if you wish to belong to a house...’ 
> 
> See y'all next time,  
> KB  
> <3


	5. FOUR - INDECISIVE

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things can't seem to be predictable for Jeongguk.  
> Still, as he's welcomed by his house, he can't help but notice the weight of his status pushing on his chest.  
> Plus he let his food get cold, which is enough to make the Navy Seals cry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello  
> Remember when i said i wasnt gonna go MIA on y'all again?  
> HAHAHAH I LIED.  
> nah but seriously school is such a succubus on me rn, strangely enough it's enlish that's really killing me. If anyone had the displeasure of doing 'Sailmaker' for their exams, help a sister out.  
> ALSO THE EMPHASIS AINT WORKING SO IMAGING ITALICS WHEN YOU NEED EM THANKS  
> Read this mofo and i'll see y'all at the end of the chapter  
> <3

“Jeon, Jeongguk.” 

Yugyeom squeezed Jeongguk’s hand as if he were letting go of a lifeboat in a raging black ocean of pure fear. Each time it lapped and bit at his skin, terror crystallised and crawled up to his lungs. The waters threatened to drown him. 

He sat on the stool, his leg bouncing at a hundred miles per minute. 

He felt a gentle and discreet squeeze on his shoulder from Minerva, his Auntie Min who’d taken him on his first trip to Diagon Alley. She made his leg bounce a little slower. 

Question after question assaulted his mind. What do I do if we aren't in the same house? Will I get to see my friends again? What if I don’t fit into a house? He looked briefly up to the roof of the grand hall. It perfectly mirrored the weather outside, as if the hall had no bounds, stretching itself to the heavens. 

Stars glistened like water in a sparkling ocean, not a cloud in sight to disrupt their glow. He wished that there were clouds. Maybe some rain would comfort him. The way the droplets would softly knock at the windows would make him feel as if someone was visiting him, checking in on him. Maybe the rain could tap at the glass and reassure him. Maybe they would comfort him, maybe they would be his friend. 

The sky remained unchanging above him. It was his turn to face what loomed above his head. 

The hat was placed on his head and he held his breath. 

He shit himself when he heard it speak directly into his mind. 

_‘Well then,’_ it said, a slight rasp hinting at its age, a former relic from times gone by. _‘you child, are truly something **else**.’_

He wished that it was raining now more than ever. The patter of the water on the gravel could drown out the voice which seemed to surround him. A strike of lightning cold shock him out of this delusion. The rasp of the Sorting Hat could go away. 

No rain came for him. 

_‘so much potential.’_ it seemed amused. _‘you are quite the tricky one. The heart of a Gryffindor, indeed. The nature of Hufflepuff. Somewhere in there you have a Ravenclaw’s skill, but you do have an ambition that strikingly resembles a Slytherin. Of course, you already knew that.’ ___

__Jeongguk shivered. He felt as if the words in his mind reverberated with some sort of extra meaning. ‘_ _

___'Of course, you already knew that.’_ _ _

__Knew what? What did he know? He knew that he was scared. He knew that he wasn’t like everyone else, for better or for worse. He knew that the next minute would confirm what he had already guessed._ _

__When the Sorting Hat spoke again, he almost gagged._ _

___‘A Muggleborn Slytherin, eh?’_ It laughed. He knew it. _ _

__There it was already. Blood status. Jeongguk froze. Mudblood._ _

__The filthy word whispered its way into his ears. Like an infection it tainted his blood, slowly reaching every part of him. He was infected. He was dirty. Mudbloods were dirty. He was a Mudblood. He was a Mudblood and he was dirty and he knew it because he didn’t belong here._ _

__‘I don’t belong here’ he breathed. As if his words could somehow physically manifest themselves into truth. As if he could speak it into reality. As if he would be listened to._ _

__He felt as if he was being tugged in opposite directions. He was going to tear in two, he knew it. What the Hat said next tore him in two._ _

___‘You belong at Hogwarts, my boy. But, if you wish to belong to a house . . .’_ _ _

__“GRYFFIN- NO._ _

__SLYTHERIN!”_ _

__Silence._ _

__No cheers. No hollers. No breathing._ _

__For a fraction of a second he was overwhelmed by a roar of silence. The feeling of a thousand eyes on him made him numb. He knew why. Of course, he already knew that._ _

__It changed it’s mind._ _

__Then the hall errupted._ _

__There were groans from the Gryffindor table, and the odd ‘what’ thrown about the hall. He looked at Yugyeom and Jaehyun. They were beaming at him. Terrified, but beaming. All he could do was wait. He looked around at the other students, some whispered, others look baffled. Of course, he knew why._ _

__The Sorting Hat changed its mind._ _

__He was welcomed by someone who introduced himself as Youngguk, who remarked about the similarity of their names. Jeongguk could still feel the crawling gaze of a thousand eyes on him. Youngguk patted him on the shoulder reassuringly and gave him a sheepish smile Yugyeom introduced himself with._ _

___Yugyeom._ _ _

__The names were getting closer to Kim._ _

___Thump thump thump._ _ _

__Yugyeom’s knuckles were bone white. The Sorting Hat had changed its mind._ _

___Thump thump th-_ _ _

__“Kim, Yugyeom.”_ _

__Yugyeom stepped up to the stool, the hat placed on his head. The hat that had changed its mind._ _

__The hall was silent, but the _thump thump thump_ echoed off the walls. He only now registered the shock that filled the hall when Jaehyun was sorted into Ravenclaw. He didn’t realise. He was too caught up in himself to smile at Jaehyun. It was because of that damn hat. _ _

__Ten seconds, twenty seconds, thirty seconds._ _

___Thump thump thump-_ _ _

__“GRYFFINDOR!”_ _

__From the Gryffindor table, BamBam hollered the loudest. Jimin and Taehyung screamed alongside him, and Youngjae clapped politely, enthused nonetheless. Yugyeom looked back to Jeongguk. They both tried to smile, but they knew why they couldn’t. Different houses, different homes._ _

__They'd been split up already. For one reason only. Jeongguk was a Mudblood. Yugyeom was a Pureblood and Jeongguk was a Mudblood. Yugyeom was right and he was wrong and he was a dirty Mudblood._ _

__Of course, he already knew that._ _

__He was Mudblood and the Sorting Hat had changed its fucking mind._ _

__He wanted to cry._ _

__\-------------------_ _

__There was a speech made before the feast. Jeongguk barely heard a word of it. It was a monotonous buzz, droning on steadily. He caught the odd word here and there._ _

__‘students in the forest unsupervised, strictly prohibited’_ _

__‘giant squid in the lake, be kind to it’_ _

__‘astronomy tower is temporarily off limits to any and all persons’_ _

__‘do not interact with Peeves, and don’t ask him about the Weasley twins’_ _

__Right before the feast, Auntie Min asked for questions._ _

__“What’s the WiFi password?” some first-year piped up. Immediately the hall rumbled lowly with conversation. ‘We have WiFi? What’s a WiFi? A WeeFee?’_ _

__McGonagall simply smiled, “Lemon drop, one word, no capital letters.’_ _

__The hall groaned with unanswered questions about the purpose and function of a WeeFee._ _

__Then the feast began._ _

__Jeongguk almost forgot about how sad he was when the food appeared from thin air. He was amazed, his mouth hanging open. It had materialised. Out of nowhere. _Poof_ , like magic. He caught himself feeling the corners of his lips tug up as he realised that it wasn’t _like_ magic. It _was_ magic. _ _

__Someone in front of him laughed lightly from his reaction. It was that mint haired boy from earlier, except now he had platinum silver hair to match the Slytherin house colours._ _

__“Never gets old,” the boy said somewhat flatly. He seemed unbothered by it all, like he’d seen this routine too many times._ _

__Quickly, Jeongguk shut his mouth and smiled closed mouthed in response. The boy went back to eating and talking, somewhat unamused. However, there was something in his eyes that said otherwise. Some type of glint, mischievous and cunning._ _

__All of this, however, did not detract from the fact that was the boy not ever so slightly smiling, he would look absolutely terrifying. The way he carried himself was prideful, shoulders back and relaxed, chin up. He seemed like someone who could silence a room with a fake cough. The glint though. The tiny, almost unnoticeable sparkle in his eyes. There were a few layers to this boy’s character._ _

__The colour changing haired boy was speaking to two equally terrifying people and seemed to be in deep conversation. One of them was the Youngguk who had welcomed him earlier. Though he presented himself as kind and warm, his tall and strong stature was intimidating nonetheless. The other seemed to be the oldest of the three. He swatted at the silver-haired head and laughed when he groaned in exaggerated pain. They seemed to have a brotherly dynamic. It made him miss his friends already._ _

__Jeongguk decided to keep his head down and try to blend in. He was succeeding for all of five minutes until someone was pushed into his shoulder._ _

__“Ah, mianhaey- sorry.” It was another boy, maybe a year older than him. He was tall though, another thing about the Slytherins that seemed to be a common thread._ _

___Tall, attractive, intimidating dudes. ~~Am I really straight though?~~_ _ _

__Jeongguk didn’t even register the fact that he could have dropped his roast potato (which would have been quite the travesty) and instead turned his focus on the boy who had just surprised him by saying – or almost saying – a word that was comfortingly familiar._ _

__He could have focused on the boyish smile, or the black hair that messily resembled Jeongguk’s. He could have focused on his masterpiece of a roast potato._ _

__Instead, he only took in one thing._ _

__“You’re Korean?” Jeongguk asked, scolding himself for being so blunt to a senior pupil._ _

___Stupid, stupid, stupid. You have fucking manners, time to use them Gguk!_ _ _

__“Yeah man, Seoul born and bred.” He smiled._ _

___That’s where Jaehyun’s from. Yugyeom’s from Namyangju, though._ _ _

__He’d thought about his friends again. A knot settled in the pit of his stomach as he forced a pleasant smile to the Seoul born boy._ _

__“Busan,” Jeongguk replied answering the silent question he knew the other boy wanted to ask._ _

__“God,” he laughed. Jeongguk was only slightly confused. Did Busan get a bad rep over here? “Don’t let Jimin hear you say that!”_ _

__“BamBam’s friend? With the pink hair?” Jeongguk asked. Was it this small of a world already? Maybe he didn't need the rain to be his friend._ _

__“Yeah, the kid has this thing about being born in Busan first. Beats me as to why, but him and that crazy powerful dude Taehyung were laughing about it in the infirmary one when I was in helping Pomfrey. I tried to make small talk, and I genuinely saw him sigh when I said I was born in Seoul.”_ _

__That was a lot of information to process at once._ _

__Jimin was from Busan, check._ _

__Taehyung was extremely powerful, check. Jeongguk wasn’t surprised after what he saw on the train._ _

__This tall, attractive, intimidating, attractive boy helped in the infirmary. And he was Korean? Jeongguk’s Mother would be arranging their wedding right now were she there._ _

__His parents. That made him feel a wave of bleak homesickness. The knot that had settled in his stomach was slowly becoming heavier, each new thought dragging him down further and further. It was as if the knot was a rope, tied to some miserable destiny whose only objective was to keep Jeongguk down. It didn’t want him moving in any which way, and he quite honestly wanted to give in._ _

__He was too far away from his house, and even further away from his home._ _

__“Hey,” he was tugged out of his thoughts by the boy from Seoul._ _

___Shit, I zoned. Stupid idiot, Jeon Jeongguk._ _ _

__“You’re a first-year, yeah?” The boy asked. Jeongguk nodded wordlessly. “from the looks of it, you seem kinda . . . out of it. Your mates in different houses?”_ _

__“Yeah,” Jeongguk sighed with a sad smile._ _

__“Cheer up, man. You'll get to see them at every meal, and you'll get classes with them. Hell, just wait until you’re allowed into Hogsmeade! Different houses aren't the end of the world. Trust me.”_ _

__“Yeah,” Jeongguk replied rather dejectedly. He realised that all of what he’d said was true, but the older boy couldn’t seem to help Jeongguk get rid of his fear of being alone in Slytherin. A Mudblood in a Pureblood house? He was asking for trouble._ _

__“Here, when you get back to the common room, come find me. I’ll introduce you to my friends, get you feeling at home!”_ _

__Jeongguks eyes lit up at the prospect of feeling at home. Somewhere safe and cosy, where people cared about him and protected him. The boy from Seoul seemed to want to protect him. Maybe he would be okay._ _

__“I’m Jeongguk.” he introduced, the beginnings of a smile pulling gently at his lips._ _

__“Chanyeol. I’ve got your back, kid.”_ _

__Jongguk didn’t even care that his roast potato had gone cold._ _

__\----------------------------_ _

__It turned out that the three scary boys from before weren't as terrifying as he once thought._ _

__The older brother looking guy from before was the house captain for Slytherin. He introduced himself as JiYong. When noticing how timidly Jeongguk stumbled along at the back, JiYong invited him to the front of the group._ _

__Now, the 1st and 7th years walked side by side, as JiYong told Jeongguk some tricks of Hogwarts._ _

__“And,” JiYong said, considerably lowering his voice. “If you ever get lonely, or want to learn some extra spells, tell Yoongi that GD wants you to come along. He’ll know what I mean,” he said the last part with a knowing wink._ _

__“Yoongi?” Jeongguk asked, rather confused. He was happy that everyone he had talked to had accepted him into the house without much introduction, but he really needed some damn introductions._ _

__“The dude with the colour changing hair. He was sitting with me and Youngguk at the feast. Don’t let him scare you, the kid’s a massive softie.”_ _

___Got it. Chanyeol, JiYong, Youngguk, Yoongi. Easy._ _ _

__They halted in front of the common room doors where JiYong demonstrated how to enter. The password for this fortnight was ‘Untitled’, and one look at JiYong’s face told Jeongguk that he had decided that._ _

__The common room was revealed and they hesitantly stepped inside._ _

__The dungeon had high ceilings and windows to match. That seemed to be common in Hogwarts, as if the school was trying to touch the sky. The windows gave off a tint of blue, which when met the light of a fire caused a swirling cloud of light to dance about the common room. They seemed to be underground. The place seemed to hold history, as even the chairs that decorated the room were intricately detailed._ _

__Only when something passed by the giant window did Jeongguk finally notice how far underground they were._ _

__“That was a fucking squid.” he stated, is mouth agape as he watched the windows._ _

__He was lucky that the other students had taken to filling about the common room, otherwise his words might have bought him an odd reputation. He heard a light but sharp exhale from the other side of him, and turned to see the silver-haired boy, Yoongi, looking vaguely amused at Jeongguk._ _

__“What did I say, eh?” Yoongi said somewhat flatly. “Never gets old.”_ _

__Again, were it not for that certain something in his eyes, or the warmth he held in his voice, Jeongguk might have been terrified of Yoongi. But he trusted what JiYong said. It might just take him a minute to believe it._ _

__\-----------------------_ _

__They were shown to their dormitories, where Jeongguk found the four other boys he would be sharing a room with for the next year. He greeted them politely, catching the names and promising to commit them to memory. Arek, Murray, Tamir, and most notably, the boy with the bed beside his own; Daeun._ _

__Daeun had broken the ice by saying that the only name people ever remembered him by was Villain, though._ _

__“Even my Dad calls me that!” He laughed._ _

__“I just got called Nochu ‘cause my English sucked..” Jeongguk frowned._ _

__“The fuck is a Nochu?” Arek asked, which threw the boys into fits of laughter. The noise of their happiness drowned out any tension, Jeongguk could practically feel it leave the room. He would have to take Chanyeol up on his offer another day. Jeongguk didn’t really feel like he needed help feeling at home right now._ _

__The boys collapsed onto their respective beds, exhausted from quite possibly the longest day of their lives. Jeongguk felt his eyes grow heavy as waves of sleep lapped at his ankles. Welcoming into an ocean of dreams._ _

__He thought about Yugyeom and Jaehyun, and he hoped that their days had worked out. As the heavy water of sleep pulled at his chest, his ears tuned into one last conversation._ _

__“This place might be nice and all,” he heard Tamir’s voice say to the room. “But it used to be elitist. No Muggleborns allowed. What’s that word they’ve got for ‘em?”_ _

__“Mudblood?” Murray chipped in helpfully._ _

__“Yeah, that. Slytherin never liked Mudbloods. Feel bad for any Muggleborn that was ever sorted into this house. Trust me, I’m a black boy with an accent. I know when I ain’t wanted.” Tamir finished with a sigh._ _

__The once heavy waters of sleep had turned ice cold. Jeongguk was still being pulled under, but not in the kind and inviting way he had been before._ _

__No; now he was being dragged into an abyss at the ankles by the ball and chain that was his blood status._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOURE STILL HERE SHFDNASIDNSIA  
> Are you getting bored with the pace?? am i introducing too many characters???  
> in case you were wondering heres the new dudes you met in this here chap:  
> Youngguk - formerly B.A.P  
> JiYong - G-Dragon himself, BigBang  
> Chanyeol - EXO  
> Daeun/Villain - PLT/Solo artist  
> Arek - dotn worry about these dudes  
> Murray - theyr ejust really there for plot development  
> Tamir - and so that it feels more real for the reader
> 
> i swear youll meet the boys™ soon. in fact you gonna get some lil meow meow moments in the next one.  
> have you noticed that i put no grammatical effort into notes?? lolllll  
> i love you all very muchness and i hope you're still there Taeter_tot  
> <3  
> KB


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